Pocket key case



L. BRILL POCKET KEY CASE Oct. 24, 1950 Filed June 50, 1947 INVENTOR LEE] BRILL KENS/75 Patented Oct. 24, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE key case with a plurality of pivot screws or members, swivel key hooks mounted to turn on the pivot screws between the opposing side walls of M the key case, and means for latching portions of the side Walls to each other to prevent any and all keys from swinging.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a key case with an improved swivel hook construction, which includes a key holding element or hook and a hook holding element or swivel formed of sheet metal.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, showing a corner of one of the side walls of the key case folded back and a key extended for use.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the key hook used in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a modified swivel hook.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view of the swivel hook used in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an edge View of the swivel hook shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary and side elevational view showing another form of the invention.

The pocket key case, according to the first form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, includes one flexible side wall I0 and another flexibl side wall II, which together form a leather or composition key case body.

The wall In is formed with a series of cars I2,

3 Claims. (Cl. 15040) ears of the side wall I0.

I3, I4 and I5, disposed in equally spaced relation to each other, and the wall II is formed with a series of matching ears I6, I'I, I8 and IS, similarly spaced apart from each other. The ears I6, II, I8 and I9 project outwardly of the ears I2, I3, I4 and I5, so that separation may be readily 'made.

ments are provided to prevent the keys K from sliding out of the key case. The finished caps or heads of each element bears an identification symbol or number 2I, in this case numbers of 1, 2, 3 and 4 being used. The side wall II is also provided with identification marks 22, in this case, name words, giving the use for each particular key.

As an illustration of the aforementioned, the button snap element 20 of the ear I5 is marked I. the word Home is printed on the side wall II. adjacent the button snap element 20 of the ear I6; the ear I! is marked Office, and the button snap element 20 thereof is marked 2; the ear I8 is marked Car and the button snap element 20 thereof is marked 3; and the ear I9 is marked Garage, and the button snap element 20 thereof 'marked 4. The numbers on the button snap elements are preferably arranged in luminescent paint or chemicals. The button snaps are colored differently to further distinguish one from the other.

The ear I2 is provided with a male button snap element 23, and each of the .ears I3, I4 and I5 is provided with a similar button snap element, so

and I9 project outwardly from the edges of the ears I2, I3, I4 and IE, it is easy for the user to separate the ears of the side wall II from the At points approximately midway of the location are arranged. .Each screw set includes a male screw element and a female screw element 26. One of these screw elements is mounted in a hole formed in the side wall I0 and the other screw element is mounted in a hole formed in the side wall I I. When the two screw elements are coupled to each other, they provide a pivot for holding the eye of a key hook 3I having a loop 34 upon which the respective key K is engaged.

The hook 3| and attached key K may be swung between the two Walls II] and II, when the controlling button snap is uncoupled, as shown in Fig. 1, and restrained from free swinging by coupling the elements of the controlling button snap.

To identify the owner of the key case and its keys, a name card holding frame 35 is attached to the wall I I.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. to 7, there is shown an eyelet 30, which forms the means for attaching the swivel bar 27 of a. modified key hook to the side walls 32 and 33 which form the key case body.

The swivel bar 2! is preferably formed of sheet metal in companion bar strip sections 21' and 21 which are united integrally by the web or bend 21 to each other. The two strip sections are formed with aligned eye holes 21 and the bend 2'! is in the form of a loop and is pierced by the shank of the hook 28 which is provided with a small terminal ball 28, to prevent endwise displacement of the hook in the swivel bar.

The two strip sections 21 and 21 of each swivel bar 21 are held together by means of the respective eyelet 30, but each swivel bar 2'! may freely pivot on its respective eyelet. The hook 28 may turn in all directions on the swivel bar 21.

By means of my improved key case a fixed place is provided for each individual key, and any key may be pulled out of its restrained position or returned to it, without disturbing any other key. Each controlling button snap is marked by an identification number or symbol and b a Word name for the use given to the key controlled by the button snap.

The user instantly knows that if she or he operates button snap marked 4 the key to the garage will be released, and no other key will come out with it. By this arrangement all confusion is eliminated.

Every individual key is protected on both sides by a wall of leather, which cushions it in the pocket or pocketbook or bag.

In Fig. 8 an intermediate wall member 35 is shown between the walls l9 and l l to accommodate two keys K. These keys are held by the spring snap hooks 34' of the swivel bars 3| which are held on screw sets 24. Snap fasteners 20' are provided to keep the keys K from swinging out of the key case.

The key case walls may be made of leather, composition, fibre or any other suitable material, or a combination of two or more different materials.

A further and important advantage of the key case construction is that every and all keys are separated by the button snaps and couplings from rattling against each other, and this thus provides a silent key holder, which makes its use more desirable by persons employed in hospitals and other places, or who are sensitive to rattling sounds about their persons.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is hereby reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A key case comprising separate, spaced apart, generally circular members of flexible material, a plurality of equally spaced outwardly extending ears on said members, snap means connecting said ears, the ears of one of said members extending outwardly beyond the ears of the member adjacent thereto so as to provide easy separation of said snap means, pivot means also connecting said members at points intermediate said snap means, and key supporting swivel hooks mounted on said pivot means and arranged to swing between said members in such a manner that one of the snap means may secure the adjacent swivel hook and key against free swinging movement.

' 2.' A key case comprising a pair of separate, spaced apart, generally circular members of flexible material, each of said members having a plurality of equally spaced apart outwardly extending ears around the circumference thereof, the ears of one of said members extending outwardly beyond the ears of the other member, snap means detachably connecting said ears, a plurality of pivot means around the periphery of said mem bers and spaced intermediate said snap means,

and key supporting swivel hooks mounted on the pivot members and arranged to swing between said members in such a manner that one of the snap means may secure the adjacent swivel hook and key against free swinging movement.

3. A key case as defined in claim 1 wherein there are three of said separate, spaced apart members, the intermediate member thereof being utilized to separate said swivel hooks, and said snap means including aligned male portions extending from opposite sides of said intermediate member and adapted to cooperate with female portions mounted on the outer members of said case.

LEO BRILL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,507,492 La Vine Sept. 2, 1924 1,508,273 Davidson Sept. 9, 1924 1,596,055 Lorber Aug. 17, 1926 1,719,120 Miles July 2, 1929 2,076,895 Johnston Apr. 13, 1937 2,122,934 Economakis July 5, 1938 2,287,521 Handley June 23, 1942 2,305,363 Wege Dec, 15, 1942 2,295,123 Mudrich Sept. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 543,174 Great Britain Feb. 12, 1942 

